Shoe-cleaner.



L. L. DE LAPP.

SHOE

CLEANER. APPIIOATION FILED .TANA 20, 1908.

Patented Spt.29,1 908 glu-wanton 1HE NoRRls PETER: co wAsmNarmv, n c.

LAWSON L. DE LPP, OF BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

SHOE-CLEANER.

` vSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 20, 1908.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Serial No. 411,717.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, LAWSON L. DE LAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookings, in the county of Brookings and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe- Cleaners, of which the followin is a specification, reference being had to t 1e accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a combined door mat and shoe cleaning device, and it consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arran ement of parts hereinafter described and c aimed.

The object of theinvention is to provide a device of this character which will be attractive in appearance, strong and durable, very effective for the purpose intended, and convenient and easy to manipulate and clean.

The above and other objects of the invention are attained in its preferred embodi-l ment, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved combined door mat and shoe cleaner showing the cover of its brush mat thrown open; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the cover in its open position in full lines and in its closed osition in dotted lines; and Fig. 3 is a vertica transverse section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 in Fi 1.

The invention comprises a rectangu ar pan or receptacle 1 in which is removably arranged an open frame or body 2 containing a shoe cleaning grate 3 and a brush mat 4, the latter being adapted to be protected by a cover 5 which is hinged to one end of the pan. The frame or body 2 is preferably cast in a single piece and consists of side bars 6 and end bars 7 and an intermediate cross-bar 8, each of said bars 6, 7, 8 beingof T-shaped in cross-section, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The cross-bar 8 divides the body or frame 2 into large and small rectangular sections, the former of which contains a plurality of parallel cleaning bars 9 which form an open grate. The bars 9 extend longitudinally and their ends are formed integral with the bars 7, 8; they are of less height or depth than said bars, as seen in Fig. 3, but their upper edges 10 project slightly above the top surfaces ofthe bars 6, 7, 8, and they are beveled, as indicated at 11. By constructing and arranging the cleaner bars in this manner it will be seen that a person may readily scrape the mud v from his shoes by rubbing them across the beveled projecting u per edges of said bars but, in order to enab e the shank of the shoe to be effectively scraped, l provide, at a suitable oint in the grate 3, a shank cleaner 12. The atter is formed upon one of the bars 9 by enlarging, it so that it projects a suitable distance above the remaining bars 9, as shown in Fig. 3. In order to prevent this shank cleaner bar from becoming clogged with mud, l omit a portion of the bar 9 immediately in front of it to provide an enlarged space 13, the short bar 9 being united by a short cross-bar 14 to the two adjacent bars 9, as will be seen upon reference to Fig. 1.

The mat 4 is arranged in the small frame or section formed by the cross-bar 8 and, while it may be of any suitable form and construction, it is preferably so made that it projects a suitable distanceiabove the upper surface of the bars 6, 7, S and so that its edge projects under the overhanging flangesof said bars 6, 7, 8 in order that the mat will be effectively retained in the frame or body 2, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 2. When the mat is constructed with this projecting flange 15 around its bottom edge it is inserted in the frame or body 2 by first placing it in the pan 1 adjacent to one end and then placing the said frame or body over it. The cover 5 is rectangular in shape and has a surrounding flange which is connected at one end by hinges 16 to the end bar 7 of the body 1. .Said cover is the full width of the pan and its length is slightly greater than the width of the mat 4 so that the free end of the cover, when the latter is closed, rests upon the to of the cross-bar 8. For the purpose of ena ling the cover to be readily swung open or closed by the foot, l provide, upon its front side or end, a projecting U-shaped bracket or loop 17 beneath which the toe of the foot may be readily placed so that when the foot is elevated the cover may be swung either open or closed. For the purpose of protecting the floor, carpet or other surface upon which the pan 1 rests, and for the further pur ose of reventing the pan from slipping whi e the evice is being used, l preferably provide, upon its bottom, four or more feet 18 of rubber or the like. The feet 18 are arranged, preferably, adjacent to the four corners of the pan and are in the form of semispherical bodies which are secured to the pan by bolts 19 as seen in Fig. 2.

The construction, use, and many advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. It Will be observed that by conn structing the body or frame 2, as shown, and arranging it in the an or receptacle l, it Will be almost impossiblle for any dirt to be carried over the iioor or its coverings since it will all be caught by the pan. The construction of the grate 3 is such that the mud may be easily removed from the shoes by scraping them across the bars 9 and the shank cleaning bar 12; and small particles of dirt and dust may be then removed from the shoes by rubbing them upon the brush mat 4. /Vhen the device is used out of doors the cover 5 Will eiectively protect the mat and keep it dry and clean. The provision of the ioot piece or bracket 17 upon the cover enables it to be readily opened and closed by the -foot. The peculiar construction of the frame or body 2 renders it comparatively inexpensive and, at the sametime, exceedingly strong and durable. It may also be conveniently removed from the pan and the mat for all cleaning purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. A device oi' the character described comprising a pan, a removable 'frame or body in the same having at one end. an open grate consisting of longitiulinally-extending cleaning bars, one of' the latter being enlarged to provide a shoe shank cleaner, a brush mat arranged at the other end of the -frame or body,

a cover hinged to one end of the body and intermediate T-bar an d one ol the endT-bars,

one oi said bars being enlarged to provide the shoe shank cleaner and the bar immediately in 'front of the latter being shortened, a brush mat arranged in one end of the trame or body and having a flange around its bottom to r project under the iianges ol the T-bars of said trame or body, a flanged cover for the mat hinged to one end of the body, and a foot piece or loop )rojecting from the cover, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aHix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

LAWSON L. DE .IJ/XPP.

'Vitnesses:

E. XV. RUDEHE, CARRIE SEATON. 

